Cabinet subcommittee to recommend relief to journalists harassed during MR regime

President Maithripala Sirisena has proposed to appoint a new subcommittee to recommend relief to journalists who had been harassed during the tenure of former president Mahinda Rajapaksa.

With the goal of providing relief, the opportunity was given through notices in newspapers to the journalists, who were subjected to harassment and attacks during the 10-year period from 2005 to 2015, to forward their appeals.

A Cabinet subcommittee was appointed to make recommendations in this regard. Later the period for forwarding appeals was extended to 1 May 2017 and 14 more appeals have been received.

Accordingly, President Sirisena, in his capacity as the Minister of Defence, has proposed to appoint a new subcommittee for making recommendations on these appeals.

Cabinet has approved the President’s proposal to appoint the new subcommittee under the chairmanship of Finance and Mass Media Minister Mangala Samaraweera. Disaster Management Minister Anura Priyadarshana Yapa and Land and Parliamentary Reforms Minister Gayantha Karunathilaka are the other members of the subcommittee.